7.58 crore saplings will be planted under Green Chhattisgarh drive in Chhattisgarh

17-06-2014

RAIPUR: In a
meeting chaired by chief minister Dr Raman Singh here on Monday, a target was
set to plant 7.58 crore saplings of different species under “Harier
Chhattisgarh Abhiyan” (Green Chhattisgarh Campaign) in the state this year.

The chief minister
expressed annoyance on the industries that have not completed target given last
year to different industrial organisations for sapling plantation and said now
they would not have the freedom to plant saplings on their own. Now, they would
have to deposit the amount prescribed by the state government to the State
Forest Development Corporation. Now the chief secretary himself would hold
meetings every three months and review its progress, he added.

Dr Singh said that
industries have the social responsibility of making the environment pollution
free. The chief minister asked senior officers of Forest department to take the
Green Chhattisgarh drive seriously and to ensure better care of saplings to be
planted under the campaign. He said that any kind of carelessness at any level
would not be tolerated.

The chief minister
stressed on making the state greener for healthy environment. The objective of
Harier Chhattisgarh Abhiyan should be to create job and permanent source of
income for people. He declared a target to plant 20 lakh saplings during the
next four years to increase the beauty of Naya Raipur and in view of
environment.

Chief Secretary
Vivek Dhand, additional chief secretary NK Aswal, principal secretaries,
secretaries of various departments and representatives of different industrial
institutions attended the meeting. The chief minister reviewed the preparations
made under the Harier Chhattisgarh Abhiyan by industrial organisations and
government departments in the state.

Last year, 15
industrial organisations had been given target to plant saplings in 460 km long
areas, but in the meeting, the forest department in a presentation said that
these organisations have planted saplings in only 20-km areas. Against the
target of 50 km, the Bhilai Steel Plant has planted saplings in 10 km only and
Labharj Cement planted 10 km area against the target of 20 km.